Background
Joseph Newman was born in New London, Ohio, the son of Simon and Hanna Cohn Newman, who then moved to Cleveland. He married Babette Weidenthal, daughter of Cleveland journalist Maurice Weidenthal, in 1913.
Joseph Newman was born in New London, Ohio, the son of Simon and Hanna Cohn Newman, who then moved to Cleveland. He married Babette Weidenthal, daughter of Cleveland journalist Maurice Weidenthal, in 1913.
A graduate of Central High School, Newman attended the Case Institute of Technology before withdrawing to go into business.
The firm soon added sporting goods to its line and became the Newman-Stern Company. His first volume of verse, Poems Foreign Penguins, was published in 1941. lieutenant was followed by (1948), Perishable Poems (1952), and (1959).
After his retirement from business, in 1952 he began to write a weekly column for the Cleveland Press under the heading "lieutenant Could Be Verse".
In 1957, he began to contribute a daily column under the title "Joe Newman"s Frying Pan". Among many other activities, Newman taught at Cleveland College and served as trustee of The Cleveland Play House.
Newman died at the age of 68 in Cleveland, Ohio. His poem "Black Cross" has been recorded by Bob Dylan on The Minnesota Hotel Tape, 1961, and by Lord Buckley on Way Out Humor.
His poem "Paradise Almost Lost" was recorded by Biff Rose on The Thorn in Mistress
Rose"s Side. The foreword of lieutenant Could Be Verse was written by Louis Untermeyer. He is the uncle of actor Paul Newman.
Newman meanwhile began writing columns on electricity for The Plain Dealer and contributing humorous rhymes to Ted Robinson"s "Philosopher of Folly" column under the pseudonym, "Professor Cy North. Tific." He was a member of the City Club of Cleveland, and from 1925-1958 collaborated with Carl Doctorate. Friebolin in writing lyrics (775 in all) for the club"s annual Anvil Revue.